Friday

14


August , 2020
Cured of corona: triumph or stigma?
13:38 pm

Aritra Mitra


 

 

On Saturday, July 25, 68-year-old Madhav Narayan Dutta was taken to the Bongoan Sub-divisional hospital in West Bengal due to some respiratory problems. He was admitted to the ward assigned for suspected Covid-19 patients. Later, he was referred to a hospital in Kolkata as his health deteriorated. An ambulance was also arranged but the elderly person failed to climb into it on his own. His wife tried to help him but failed. She cried for help but no one came forward. After almost half-an-hour of struggle, Dutta passed away. This inhuman incident proves how the fear of getting infected are compelling people to treat Covid-19 patients as pariahs.

Social distancing has been established as one of the important means of combating the Covid-19 pandemic. However, this phenomenon of maintaining a distance has turned out to be a means of out casting a Covid-19 patient.

Aparajita Ghosh, a resident at Bapujinagar in Jadavpur, West Bengal, shared an incident where one of her neighbours was completely segregated from the locality when he was infected with Covid-19. She told BE, “One of our neighbours went for the corona test as he felt he had mild symptoms. When he saw that the report was positive, he had a massive panic attack and had to be admitted to the hospital. However, he was discharged after two days and advised for home quarantine. Then our entire locality was blocked and was declared a containment zone. People objected even if the person was spotted on his terrace. People looked at him as if he was a social outcast.”

According to a Geisinger newsletter, in the present scenario, social distancing refers to staying at least six feet away from other people. However, though the term social distancing is still widely being used, it may be sending the wrong message and contributing to social isolation.

Dr. Shahida Fareed, psychologist at Geisinger Grays Woods, said, “Rather than sounding like you have to socially separate from your family and friends, ‘physical distancing’ simplifies the concept with the emphasis on keeping six feet away from others.”

In this context, Dr. Kuntal Ghosh, a general physician, told BE, “It is partly right but even the term ‘physical distancing’ could have done the same damage. It is the mindset of the society at large. People do not rely on scientific information; they rely on hearsay. They are guided by taboos and practices of their own community. From the age-old customs of out casting lepers, it is evident that nothing has changed in some parts of society.” 

However, this is not only the scenario in India. Even in the US, Covid-19 survivors had to face segregation. A report published in The New York Times stated how Elizabeth Martucci and her 11-year-old son had recovered but were isolated. The report stated, “Ms. Martucci soon learned that she had drastically underestimated the anxiety she and her son, Marcus, would encounter. Even now, a month into their recovery, some neighbours see them and run.”

Dr Upendra Kaul, Chairman and Dean, Academics and Research, Batra Hospital and Medical Research Center, who was infected with Covid-19 shared his insights with Healthcare. He stated, “Unfortunately it is being considered as an outcast or social stigma. Even in the colonies where the so-called educated – I won’t call them educated – people are living. They will keep on taking pictures of people who are entering your home, will take photos of the maid coming to your house, and then complain to the residents’ association. I live in Greater Kailash and my block has a separate association. They called up the chemist and asked them not to send medicine to my address.”

Physicians are of the opinion that these kinds of behaviour are taking a heavy toll in mental health. Reacting to this, Dr. Ghosh stated, “There will be a long-lasting effect of this on interpersonal and social relations. At least, a person who is cured, needs some warmth from his friends and relatives. In some instances, the person is stamped as a cured ‘positive’ and yet, people behave with him rudely even after a month or two. These cured patients may suffer from depression.”

 

 

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